The Tea on Toxic Beauty

The Tea on Toxic Beauty is a Clean Water Action program dedicated to exposing the hidden dangers in personal care products and advocating for safer alternatives. 

We are fighting for safer beauty products and protecting our communities from toxic chemicals that disproportionately harm women of color.

Together, we can demand the change our health deserves!
 

In the Fight for Safe Beauty: Protecting Women of Color from Harmful Chemicals 

Imagine walking through your favorite beauty store, surrounded by products promising to enhance your glow, smooth your hair, or even your skin tone. Now picture picking up a product marketed specifically to you—only to find out it contains harmful chemicals such as parabens and hormone releasers linked to cancer, reproductive problems, and hormone disruption.

This is the harsh reality for many women of color. Hair relaxers, skin lighteners, and cosmetics often hide toxic ingredients that disproportionately impact their health. These products, sold as tools of empowerment and beauty, can be dangerous for long-term use.

The beauty industry is rife with inequities and studies, like one from Boston University, reveal that Black women who frequently use hair relaxers are at a significantly higher risk of uterine cancer. Shockingly, nearly 50% of beauty products marketed to Black women contain endocrine-disrupting chemicals, compared to just 7% of products marketed to white women. This disparity is an injustice we cannot ignore.  

We believe that beauty should never come at the cost of health. That’s why in New Jersey, our Environmental Justice Organizer X Braithwaite is launching The Tea on Toxic Beauty, a campaign dedicated to exposing the hidden dangers in personal care products and advocating for safer alternatives. Our mission is to protect women of color from the toxic chemicals that threaten their well-being. Through education, community action, and policy advocacy, we’re pushing for a future where beauty is safe, clean, and empowering for all. 

Read our first blog post to learn more! 

Legislative Advocacy: Standing Up for Safer Products

Our fight for beauty justice isn’t just about raising awareness—it’s about real action. In addition to demanding cleaner beauty products, we’re also working to empower communities to demand period products are safe for everyone, especially for women of color who are disproportionately impacted by harmful chemicals.

Here in New Jersey, Senator Teresa Ruiz (D-NJ Legislative District 29) has introduced two important bills that we’re excited to support: S3669 and S3643. These bills focus on banning harmful chemicals like PFAS in menstrual products and making sure companies are transparent about the ingredients they use. PFAS, sometimes called "forever chemicals," have been linked to serious health problems like cancer and hormone disruption, and they often show up in everyday products like pads and tampons without people knowing.

Legislation like this is a key part of our larger mission to protect the health of our communities. We’re calling on you—our neighbors, allies, and leaders—to stand with us and demand safer, cleaner products for everyone. Together, we can create lasting change and ensure that no one has to worry about the products they rely on.

Take Action Today

For more information or ways to stay involved, please contact X Braithwaite.